Harlequins 2014/15 Kit Launch

‘Fix Up Look Sharp’… that is exactly what Harlequins have done this season. Top quality kit or stash, as it is more commonly referred to, is vital for supporters and players alike. For Harlequins the 2014/15 season marks the start of a beautiful new relationship when it comes to their kit with the world leading brand Adidas after securing their sponsorship for the next three years.

Adidas' credentials are hugely impressive; they sponsor a whole host of top players including Jonny Wilkinson, Bryan Habana and Dan Carter and from a team perspective look after the British and Irish Lions, France and Stade Francais to name but a few. 

Last week bags and bags worth of kit arrived the Surrey Sports Park, Harlequins’ training base, and the players were in seventh heaven. Training tops, training shorts, match day shirts, socks, you name it and it was there! Speaking to Ugo Monye at the time the squad’s excitement was clear and genuinely felt; 

"It’s my 13th year at the club, yes can you believe it (!), and it is the first time that we have had a brand that fits perfectly with Harlequins. Adidas is one of the biggest sports brands globally and it truly matches our on the field ambitions. Regardless of how long you have been playing the game or how old you are, there isn't a single rugby player in the world that is not excited by kit!!"

Team mate Jack Clifford echoed Ugo’s sentiments “It is the biggest sports brand out there! It really does make a difference for us, when you are playing in great quality kit you automatically feel better; I literally can’t wait to start wearing it now!!!”

It is easy to see why the squad love their new kit, “Evolution of an icon” is Adidas’ leading message to accompany the launch and that says everything that you need to know about their new attire. The historic quarters remain intact however they now have a beautifully polished and modern look. Personally I love the away kit, the red, slightly retro looking shorts, finish off a sleek and fresh design that packs a punch. Ugo hit the nail on the head when he said “I'm sure that the lads will be cat-walking up and down their living rooms tonight!”

Harlequins have large ambitions for the 2014/15 season in both the Aviva Premiership and the European Champions Cup competition. This summer their coaching team travelled far and wide in order to broaden their knowledge and to find what Conor O'Shea calls 'those tiny margins between success and failure'. Harlequins know that they'll have to perform at their full potential every week to reach the heights that they want and in professional sport consistent performance levels cannot be guaranteed. However there is one thing that I am certain of and that is that Harlequins will look and feel sharper than ever before in their new Adidas kit. 

Their Time Is Now - England Women's RWC 2014

On Monday 28th July 26 women departed from Twickenham Stadium, their destination, Paris and the most important tournament in the sport, the Women’s Rugby World Cup. Over 17 days 12 teams will fight it out to succeed New Zealand as World Champions and England are more than ready for challenge ahead. 

As in the men’s game the Kiwi’s are a dominant force having won the tournament four times in succession in 1998, 2002, 2006 and lastly in 2010. Conversely England have won just once back in 1994 and for the past three tournaments have had to make do with the Runners Up position. So the question is will this tournament be England’s time?

Head Coach Gary Street certainly thinks so and he has been on a mission to push his side further than they ever have been pushed before in order to ensure that the intensity of playing 5 games in 17 days is one that can be handled with ease. Initiatives like ‘Toughen Up Tuesdays’ have been painful but critical for Street’s side and his squad is fitter and hungrier than ever before.

This 2014 England Squad is packed with talent and experience; Katy Mclean leads from the front, she has 380 test points to her name and is described by Street as ‘his eyes on the pitch’. Centre Emily Scarratt is tipped by many as one of the world’s best centres and she also has the ability to devastate defences from full back, she adds spark to England's impressive back line. Finally in the forwards the experience of Maggie Alphonsi is invaluable, her tireless work-rate lifts the entire squad and when the going gets tough she is a player that you are truly thankful to have in your ranks. 

However we all know that individuals don’t make a World Cup winning side, instead it is about collective effort, togetherness and a steely will to win and these women have that in abundance. As RPA Player of the Year Rachel Burford highlighted to Sky Sports the tournament really is the be all and end all for this squad; “A lot of us have put our whole lives on hold for our rugby careers and it would just mean everything to us.”

England will start their campaign on Friday 1st August against Samoa before turning their attention to Spain 4 days later and finally Canada. Now the tournament has arrived all talk of the title ceases and the focus shifts solely to Friday’s game, Mclean and her side are ready, their time is now. These women have been pushed to their limits and now they must believe in their own abilities in order to take a step into the unknown and reach the heights that they have been dreaming of, and working for, for the past four years. 

Squad to Face Samoa

15 Danielle Waterman 14 Katherine Merchant 13 Emily Scarratt 12 Rachael Burford 11 Lydia Thompson 10 Katy Mclean (Captain) 9 Natasha Hunt 1 Rochelle Clark 2 Emma Croker 3 Laura Keates  4 Joanna McGilchrist 5 Tamara Taylor 6 Heather Fisher 7 Margaret Alphonsi 8 Sarah Hunter Replacements: 16 Victoria Fleetwood 17 Claire Purdy 18 Rebecca Essex 19 Marlie Packer 20 La Toya Mason 21 Ceri Large 22 Kay Wilson

Group Fixtures

Friday, August 1: England v Samoa, KO 5pm BST, Marcoussis, (Sky Sports 3)

Tuesday, August 5: England v Spain, KO 2.45pm BST, Marcoussis, (Sky Sports 1)

Saturday, August 9: England v Canada, KO 2.45pm BST, Marcoussis, (Sky Sports 1)

Full match schedule here

Out On The Full Meets Mark Cueto

When Mark Cueto first arrived at the Sale Sharks as a fresh faced 17 year old, the iPod was just about to be released for the first time and David Beckham had just won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, the year was 2001. Now a number of years on Mark, or Cuets as he is known to his team mates, is just as fresh faced however slightly more experienced with 247 club starts and 86 Premiership tries to his name.

Speaking to Mark earlier in the week during Sale Sharks’ intense pre-season training it is clear that his ambition and desire for the game is stronger than ever, even if his body is slightly battle worn after so many years at the sharp end of the game.

"Well this is pre-season number thirteen for me and obviously things have been tailored slightly to cater for the old body!! It won't surprise you to know that my programme is slightly different to the majority of the team, I've been around for quite a while (!) and there are certain things that at my age I just don't need to be doing."

"Really it is volume that is a big thing, I can do any one session like any of the other guys, but it is backing it up day to day that more of a struggle than it was say 10 years ago. The club are fantastic, I'm managed well and the simple aim is to be fit for the start of the season and at the moment I'm on track for that."
 

The Sharks have recruited well for the 2014/15 season with Ablerto De Marchi, Darren Fearn, Nathan Hines, Chris Cusiter and Luke McLean all joining the club during the off season. Whilst this isn’t a huge number of new faces integration and gelling between squad members is vital. Sale know only too well what can happen if this doesn’t happen early, however this pre-season it seems to be a case of so far, so good for the side;

"As a squad we went to North Wales last week to climb Snowdon, it was as much a team bonding exercise as anything else although it was much tougher on the legs than a lot of the boys were expecting... muscles were struggling for a few days after. The trip was a chance to have a few relaxed nights together with a couple of beers and all the new guys have settled in brilliantly. I’m enjoying Nathan’s arrival a lot, it is great to go from being the eldest in the squad to having someone that is four years older than you!!!”

Mark’s years at Sale have been eventful, from the highs of winning the Guinness Premiership in 2005 to their recent season horriblé, he has seen and done it all, and remains fiercely loyal to his club. ‘One Club Men’ are a rarity in today’s game and I asked him what makes his Sharks so special?

"The culture is the big thing, we aren't a club full of superstars with egos instead we have an old fashioned work ethic; keep your head down, work extremely hard and prove yourself to your team mates and to the coaches. Many players have spent time at Sale Sharks and whether they have stayed or moved on, to a man they'll tell you how much they enjoyed their time here. We work hard and have huge on the field ambitions but equally we are a strong and unified squad that have great fun off of it and that is important." 

The Sale Sharks have clear objectives for the 2014/15 season; first to build on their Aviva Premiership success of last season and second to perform strongly in the top flight European Champions Cup competition. I wondered whether Mark had a third more personal objective; to finish his career on a high so I questioned him regarding the ‘r word’... retirement;

“Realistically I expect that it will be my last season however it is genuinely a week by week thing depending on how I feel. Recovery time is a lot longer, one week you can feel great and the next you can feel terrible, I’m just going to see how it goes and come January/February make a decision. If I feel like I did this time last year then I won’t say no to carrying on however at the same time I appreciate that it is 6/7 months away and there is a lot of rugby to be played between now and then. The answer I suppose is never, say never.”

From speaking to Mark it is clear that the Sharks are in a great place right now, they seem to be content with life, with their coaching structure and with their squad. Ambitions are high and starting the year with a bang at home against Bath is their first task. Mark’s career to date is hugely impressive and truly outstanding, some individuals may have let that success go to their head but not Cuets, he remains a genuine and extremely likable guy. Whenever Mark does choose to hang up his boots there will be no shortage of coaching and media opportunities for him, however for now his focus remains firmly on the pitch to help drive his beloved team to great success this coming season.

Cardiff Blues' European Attire

Kit launches are always an eventful time of year and at Out On The Full it seemed only right to review a couple of the most interesting ones!

In days before a new kit is launched the speculation builds and often a few far-fetched ideas are debated between friends and on social media. Once launched some kits are instantly loved whilst others are deemed to be ‘growers’. Great kit certainly helps players to feel the part and for the Cardiff Blues their 2014/15 European attire also serves another purpose.

The aim of their new shirt is stated clearly in its motto; ‘Be Bold. Be Proud. Be Green’, yes the Blues’ new European kit is bright, fluorescent green. The new shirt's purpose is to encourage the club and its fans to be 'greener' in their everyday lives and on match days. The kit has been supported by club sponsor DS Smith, DS Smith are recycling company that focus on driving initiatives to achieve zero waste. The words ‘Turning The Blues Green’ are printed across the back of the new shirt to act as a constant reminder and in addition to this there are simple green initiatives that were announced during the launch day at the BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park. First, a photo competition where selfies must be taken on public transport on the way to matches, second, green recyclable cups being used throughout the stadium and finally of course a percentage of each shirt being donated to Keep Wales Tidy.

The shirt is made by Canterbury, a brand synonymous with rugby and one that is always at the forefront of new ideas and innovation. Now I’m fully aware that some people may be thinking that this is all little tenuous and forced however as a rugby fan and a marketer I have to say that I’m impressed with the initiative. The campaign is for a great cause, it does not affect the performance of the players because cutting edge technology is still used in the shirt and the only difference is that it just happens to be green. 

The Cardiff Blues are a united club, they have shown great strength during an extremely difficult time over the past few months with the tragic injury to club member Owen Williams and if they can drive awareness an action for a great cause through their green jerseys then in my eyes this only adds to their already admirable credentials.

Answering 'that' question....

Without a doubt the question that I am asked the most is ‘why are you so into rugby?' Generally the look on the person's face when they ask it is one of sceptical intrigue; in their minds they already know the answer and the next phrase often confirms this. ‘It is because of the men isn’t it!?' My response to them is always calm and measured in spite of feeling irate inside; yes there are attractive men that play rugby and yes I have eyes however my reasons for being ‘so into’ rugby go well beyond that. 

Rugby unites people; it brings together people from all parts of the country and world and crucially it brings together ‘my kind' of people. Segregation, abuse and loutish behaviour have no place in the sport and to a man or lady every single fan embodies the values of the game. These core values are respect, discipline, enjoyment and sportsmanship. Fans are gracious in defeat and I believe that the camaraderie between fiercely loyal fans of differing clubs and countries is not replicated in any other sport. Since a young age I’ve always been happy to take that one solo seat a few blocks away from my friends/family and I have met great people doing so. I did so at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff last year when England were pummeled by the Welsh during the RBS 6 Nations decider and instead of being ridiculed or mocked the Welsh fans around me they bought me consolation drinks and handed them over with a smile. Rugby fans are welcoming and above all respectful, to one another, to their team, to the opposition and to the officials. The people that watch and work in rugby are my kind of people and their presence is a huge part of my love for the sport.

In my mind the statement that ‘rugby is a thugs' game played by gentlemen’ rings true and the phrase itself showcases the second reason for being ‘so into’ the sport; good old fashioned excitement! Over the course of 80 minutes, or 100 at the recent Aviva Premiership Final, there are rarely any dull moments. Huge collisions, eye-watering feet, fierce rivalries and deft skills mean that if you switch off for a second during a match you’ll miss something. Of course sometimes there are sections of the game for the purists; 15 minutes scrummaging at Bath a few months ago pushed even my limits however those moments are the exception and not the rule. As the game continues to evolve and players are developing both physically and in terms of their skill sets and this will only add to what is already a hugely exciting game to watch.

Rugby is a physically dangerous sport, on a weekly and even daily basis players put their bodies and indeed lives on the line. Every single time a player steps onto the pitch, or goes into a tackle head first they are risking themselves. Professionals know that if something goes wrong the permutations can be life altering and yet they play the game with unrelenting physicality regardless. The elite are hardy and brave individuals that put themselves through hell to entertain us as spectators and I have a huge respect for every single person that plays the sport. Two individuals that epitomise the true spirit of rugby are Matt Hampson and Henry Fraser, both were passionate lovers and players of this great game and both now are physically less able than they used to be. Their bravery, unrelenting positivity and passion typifies the type of individual that partakes in rugby and they alongside the other players of the game today inspire us all. Not every rugby player is a saint however they all have a strong moral grounding that comes from playing a sport that is steeped in tradition and unquestionably strong values.

So to answer the question posed I do not write about or love the game of rugby purely for the men, I’m passionate about it due to its values, the inspirational individuals that play the game and its ability to unite people. I sincerely hope that next time anyone wonders why a young woman loves a ‘man’s game’ they will stop and think beyond the stereotype.

Legends Rugby Festival 2014

This time last weekend I was running around Wimbledon RFC with a cameraman by my side interviewing a whole host of people at the Legends Rugby Festival, it really was a great way to spend a Saturday. The Legends Rugby Festival’s ethos is to ensure that the spirit of rugby lives on and in South West London on one of the hottest days of the year past, present and future legends came together to celebrate the game and compete for a spot of silverware.

There were three competitive leagues plus the elite Legend's League and in front of hundreds of spectators all four competitions showcased fast paced and extremely competitive rugby, blood was drawn, muscles screamed and the occasional call for a set of new lungs could be heard throughout the day!!

At the highest level Saracens, Harlequins, London Irish, London Welsh, Leicester Tigers, Worcester, London Wasps, London Scottish, Gloucester, and Bristol all battled against each other for the ultimate bragging rights. Last year’s winners Saracens’ didn’t quite reach the same dizzy heights whilst Quins were the bridesmaids once again and my pre-tournament favourites Leicester brushed aside their 2013 humiliation and romped to victory with ease!

In my role as 'Chief Interviewer' for Legends Rugby I was privileged to speak to a huge number of the Legends and their families as well as players and spectators from all of the other leagues. Not a single person could keep the a smile off their face for a moment, the players were loving the hard surface and competitive games and the spectators were entralled by the quality of the rugby and of course delighted with the sunshine!! The atmosphere and indeed the entire Festival eptimoised everything that we all love about rugby; Legends of our great game, World Cup Winners, British and Irish Lions and Club Stalwarts were back on the pitch and having a delightful day with everyone there.

It was great to have the opportunity to interview the likes of Brian Moore, Neil Back, Lewis Moody and many others is one that I can't thank the Legends team enough for giving me, I loved every moment!  However let me take my work hat off for a second and tell you this; the Legends Rugby Festival was a stunning day, the people that I met, players and spectators alike, were outstanding individuals and the atmosphere was electric. 

I’m sure that you all know what I mean when I say that rugby people are simply your kind of people; rugby unites individuals together and at Wimbledon RFC on Saturday 12th July hundreds of 'my kind of people' were together in one place and had an incredible day. Needless to say I have already put the 2015 tournament firmly in the Out On The Full Diary and as soon as the footage has been put together I'll share the Legends Festival Video. Whilst you are unlikely to see my face on it please remember who was behind the camera grilling our Legends to hear their views and record those fantastic quotes that showcased just what a phenomenal event it was!

London Beach Rugby 2014

For those of you that have been reading Out On The Full for a while may you may remember one of the most unique tournaments that I have featured was the 2013 London Beach Rugby Tournament at Covent Garden. Rarely do you have rugby pitch made of 120 tonnes of sand in the middle of a huge city, it truly was a sight to behold and indeed a great day in the middle of Summer last year.  

Beach Rugby does what it says on the tin, it is 5 a side touch performed on sand and it is stunning to watch. The rugby is fast paced and frenetic and over the course of two days the winning combination of soft sand and fearless rugby men produces tries and dives that make Chris Ashton's splashes look tame! 

The 2013 tournament was so successful that it has outgrown Covent Garden and in just under a month's time a beach rugby pitch will appear in the heart of one of London's busiest business districts; Canary Wharf. The first day is for the Corporate Competition, it is the day when firms are legitimately allowed to lunge at each other and be ultra competitive all in the name of company pride! On the Saturday the Clubs will take centre stage and French side Pontaq 7's are fiercely ambitious and ready to retain their 2013 title. New this year to the tournament is the introduction of the Indoor Netball tournament that promises to be fiercely competitive and feisty. 

London Beach Rugby have some great partners, I have my eye on their SunGod Sunglasses and with Doom Bar as the official beer partner, should you like a beer or two you will be well catered for!!! The tournament will be raising funds for an extremely well known and worthy rugby charity Help for Heroes and the whole event promises to be a spectacular occasion.  The final and most important fact is that admission for spectators is absolutely free, so clear your diaries for Friday 1st August and Saturday 2nd August for what promises to be a stunning two days in Canary Wharf at the London Beach Rugby Tournament.

Here is a short preview of the London Beach Rugby 2014 Tournament;